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Indonesia won't export coal to Philippines amid hostage concerns
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks to journalists at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta. (The Jakarta Post/-)
I
ndonesia has decided to continue a moratorium on coal exports to the Philippines on the heels of the recent kidnapping of Indonesian sailors in the neighboring country’s Sulu waters, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Friday.
"More than 90 percent of coal demands in the southern Philippines depend on exports from Indonesia. The moratorium will continue until there is security assurance from the Filipino government," Retno said.
She gave the statement following a meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, which was attended by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and Indonesian Military commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo.
The meeting also decided that a crisis center, which previously worked to release Indonesian sailors held captive by the Abu Sayyaf militant group in April, would immediately begin efforts to secure the release of the seven Indonesian sailors kidnapped by two Filipino groups on June 20, Retno said.
Indonesian officials would continue intensive communications with their counterparts in the Philippines, Retno said, in order to receive detailed information regarding the status and location of the kidnapped sailors.
Although information is circulating on the identities of the kidnappers and the location of the Indonesian hostages, the government still needed clarification, Retno said. "The communication aims to decide on the strategies that will be employed to rescue the sailors," Retno added. (bbn)
